News & Views2025-10-30T10:33:32-04:00

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Local News

Chambers Warn Of Investor Risk

Crime - tape - 123RF

The business community has expressed concern over the level of crime in Trinidad and Tobago over the weekend. Between April 18 and 19, Anuska Eversley, 38, an acting corporal, was killed and a stockpile of guns and ammunition stolen from the San Fernando City Corporation Municipal Police station. 

CAL, TTALPA Conclude Negotiations, Sign Agreement

Business Signature - 123RF.com

Caribbean Airlines Limited and the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) have signed a collective agreement covering the period September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2023, bringing closure to prolonged negotiations between the parties and marking a significant step in stabilising industrial relations at the national carrier. 

Tobago Targets Latin America For Visitor Growth

Tobago

Tobago is targeting Latin America as a new source market for visitor growth, as the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL) intensifies efforts to diversify arrivals amid shifting global travel patterns. 

Eyes On Direct Toronto Route

caribbean Airlimes website concept - 123RF.com

The Division of Tourism, Antiquities and Creative Industries (DTCAI) and Caribbean Airlines (CAL) met on April 1 as part of ongoing collaborative efforts to strengthen air connectivity and improve reliability across the domestic and regional network, with a focus on a direct route to Toronto. 

Domestic Tourism Booming

Pidgeon point Tobago - 123RF.com

Secretary of Tourism Zorisha Hackett is saying a heartfelt thank you to Trinidadians, as she declares domestic tourism booming for the Easter weekend. Thousands of Trinidadians flocked to the island for the fourday weekend with airline tickets sold out weeks in advance. 

Digical Pushes $20M Fibre Investment To Meet Rising Demand

Digicel logo - 123RF.com

Digicel (T&T) Limited is investing approximately $20 million to expand its fibre networks across the country, with a major focus on south Trinidad communities, including Siparia, Oropouche and Point Fortin. 

Swaratsingh Represents T&T At IDB Meeting

Business News - unsplash.com

Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Kennedy Swaratsingh, is in Paraguay to lead T&T’s delegation at the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) annual meetings. 

CAL Tests Digital Entry Form

Caribbean Airlines Plane - 123RF.com

Passengers on three flights operated by national carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) from  tomorrow will be required to complete the T&T Digital Arrival/ Departure Form as authorities test the online platform. 

Farmers Welcome Lower Feed Prices

Chicken feeding - unsplash.com

Agriculture stakeholders are heartened by the reduction of prices for selected livestock feed by the National Flour Mills. 

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Regional News

Gov’t Exploring Agro-Tourism Expansion

Farming - 123RF.com

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green says his ministry is working with the Ministry of Tourism to explore the expansion of agro-tourism to boost visitor experience in this south-central parish. 

Guyana Signs Agreement With IFC

Business Handshake - 123RF.com

Guyana has signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) establishing the institutional framework for the operations of all World Bank Group entities in Guyana and strengthening support for private sector development, job creation, and sustained economic growth. 

Tariff Battle Looms Over $350M Green Hydrogen Plant

Barbados flag - Pixabay.org

Barbadians will be able to own nearly one-third of a $350 million hybrid renewable energy power plant that promises more stable electricity bills but not necessarily cheaper ones, Barbados TODAY can reveal exclusively. 

Guyana Pitched As Strategic Destination For Qatari Investments

Guyana Pin on map - 123RF.com

President, Dr Irfaan Ali has positioned Guyana as an important destination for Qatari investment, citing the country’s geographic advantage and market potential during an official telephone conversation with His Highness, Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Monday. 

Caribbean Must De-Risk Gas Investments

Gas pipes valves - 123RF.com

Executive chairman of The Cenergy Ltd, Dr Joseph Khan, says the Caribbean’s energy future will depend less on resource availability and more on execution, institutional strength, and the region’s ability to build a coordinated gas economy, as he addressed policymakers and industry leaders at a regional energy forum in Paramaribo, Suriname, last week. 

IMF Says Haiti Meets Targets

IMF Logo - 123Rf.com

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday that as of the end of December last year, Haiti has met all targets under the existing Staff Monitored Programme (SMP), including on international reserves accumulation, primary balance, revenue collection, monetary financing and social spending. 

Colombia Seeks Deeper Ties After Embassy Reopens

Ambassador of Colombia to Barbados Elizabeth Inés Taylor Jay. (GP)

Colombia has pledged to forge stronger diplomatic, cultural and educational links with Barbados through its reopened embassy here, setting out a series of initiatives this year to boost cooperation and people-to-people connections between the two nations. 

Exploration Advances At Guyana’s Historic Omai Gold Mine

An aerial view of the Omai site - Guyana Chronicle

Exploration and development work continue at the Omai Gold Project in Guyana as Avalon Gold Exploration Inc progresses on a path to develop a long-life, large-scale mining operation. 

Scotiabank Deploys Advanced ATM Technology To Elevate Banking Experience 

SCOTIABANK has completed the rollout of its new enhanced Automated Teller Machines, known as Intelligent Deposit Machines (IDMs), across all branch locations.

Scotiabank has completed the rollout of its new enhanced Automated Teller Machines, known as Intelligent Deposit Machines (IDMs), across all branch locations. According to a press release from the bank, these state-of-the-art self-service terminals are designed to make everyday banking faster, safer, and more convenient for clients. 

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International News

Brent Oil Is Stressed, Not Broken, By War, Morgan Stanley Says

Oil Barrels - 123RF.com

The growing stress in the oil market triggered by the Middle East war is showing up in huge premiums for prompt real-world barrels, with the wider Brent complex working as it should, according to Morgan Stanley. 

Stocks Drop And Oil Climbs Before Iran Deadline

Bloomberg - 123RF.com

Stocks fell and oil advanced in the countdown to US President Donald Trump’s Tuesday evening deadline for Iran to agree to a ceasefire or face escalation. 

Adobe Shares Drop After CEO Exit Adds To AI-Disruption Concerns

Adobe - unsplash.com

Adobe’s shares plunged 9% in premarket trading on Friday after the Photoshop maker said CEO Shantanu ‌Narayen would step down after 18 years at the helm, ‌unsettling investors already wary of AI-driven disruptions to the design software market. 

Nvidia To Focus On Competition-Beating AI Advances At Megaconference

NVIDIA - 123RF.com

When Jensen Huang strides onto the stage of a packed hockey arena to kick off Nvidia’s (NVDA) annual developer conference on Monday, he is likely to reveal products and partnerships geared toward keeping the AI chipmaker atop a growing array of competitors. 

Apple Cuts China Fees In Big Concession To Beijing And Tencent

Apple Logo - 123RF.com

Apple Inc. is lowering the fees it collects from app developers in China, a major concession in a hugely lucrative market where the company faced the risk of antitrust intervention by local regulators. 

Gold Heads For Weekly Drop As Mideast War Keeps Oil Prices High

Gold bars - 123RF.com

Gold (GC=F) steadied on Friday, but headed for a second weekly decline as the war in the Middle East kept oil near $100 a barrel, underpinning global inflationary pressures. 

US Stock Futures Are Steady As Oil Trims Its Surge

Bloomberg - 123RF.com

US equity futures steadied after three days of declines as oil prices eased off the day’s highs and investors waited to see if the war in the Middle East would escalate further. 

Drone Strikes Damage Amazon Data Centers In The UAE and Bahrain

Amamzon logo - 123RF

Amazon.com Inc.’s cloud unit warned of prolonged disruptions to its services after revealing that drone strikes damaged three of its data centers in the Middle East in recent days. 

Sportswear Brand On Sees Possible Boost From Lower US Tariff Rate

On Cloud logo - 123RF

On Holding sees lower U.S. tariff rates after the Supreme Court struck down the government’s emergency levies as a possible ‌boost for the fast-growing Swiss sportswear brand, CEO Martin Hoffmann said on Tuesday ‌as it delivered strong quarterly results. 

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Reports

Local Market Outlook – Q1 2026

March 2026 -Earnings Update

Economic Outlook- FEB2026

Economic Outlook

The global economy is expected to remain resilient, with the IMF projecting global GDP growth at 3.3%. Expansion is expected to be supported by technology-related investment and easing financial conditions. Disinflation is ongoing across many economies, though progress towards central bank targets remain uneven. Trade and investment may also show modest improvements, if policy uncertainty declines. However, downside risks remain, with a potential re-escalation of tariffs pressures, rising geopolitical tensions —particularly as U.S.–Iran relations worsen, increasing the likelihood of energy-market and shipping disruptions—and weaker-than-expected productivity posing threats to the outlook. Nonetheless, some upside potential remains if conditions stabilize. We will continue to monitor global developments and adjust as conditions evolve. 

Earnings Update – FEB 2026

Earning Update

February earnings were mixed, though results were broadly resilient across listed companies. Conglomerates and trading companies posted generally solid results, with Massy Holdings (MASSY) starting its financial year with higher revenue and profit, supported by strength across its diversified portfolios. A.S. Bryden & Sons Holdings (ASBH) also delivered revenue growth, largely driven by contributions from recent acquisitions. Agostini Limited (AGL), on the other hand, reported modest revenue growth alongside slightly lower profitability due to pressures in the Trinidad and Tobago market. 

US Rate Watch JAN 2026

U.S. Federal Funds target Rate

On Jan 28, 2026, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50% – 3.75%. This decision was in line with expectations and was supported by steady growth, signs of stabilization in the unemployment rate, and persistent inflation. 

Local Equity Report Jan2026

Domestically, real GDP grew by 3.1% in Q2 2025, following a 7.6% contraction in Q1, as higher energy production partially offset sluggish non energy sector activity. Inflation remained low, 0.5% in November, but was up from 0.4% in October. Private sector credit growth slowed to 6.3% year-on-year in October, and consumer lending moderated to 8.0%. Labour market conditions improved, with unemployment falling to 3.8% in June 2025.

November 2025-Economic Outlook

November 2025-Earnings Update

Economic Outlook – OCT2025

Economic Outlook

Global GDP growth has improved relative to earlier forecasts, reflecting the gradual easing of trade tensions and resilience. 

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